Jim is part of a group of volunteers from the Wauwautosa Lodge of Freemasons, and he has volunteered at the pantry a few times before.
“We first got an invitation for our group to volunteer, after pantry director George spoke to our group about volunteer opportunities.”
The group Jim volunteers with have been helping guests with groceries this morning.
“Today, I’m assisting guests with their shopping, fulfilling orders and taking groceries out to cars—just helping guests with their groceries. I also just make sure our guests are generally doing okay and feel comfortable, by talking to them and letting them know that the groceries are coming from a friend.”
Jim appreciates that the pantry is about more than just food.
“These interactions have been fantastic. Everyone is really grateful. It’s good to see people smile and laugh. We’re giving them food but also emotional support and encouragement as well. So that’s fulfilling.”
Jim encourages other groups of volunteers to consider volunteering at Interchange.
“It doesn’t take much time in the grand scheme of things. It’s just a little bit of your week. It’s nice to get out and meet new people. If we did a little more helping regularly, I think we’d have a better society.”
Do you or your organization have a group of volunteers interested in helping out at the pantry? We are happy to organize volunteer opportunities for groups of any size with advance notice. Reach out for more information and to schedule!